


more care to stay

by sinequanon



Series: tiny bleach [9]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Supernatural Elements, Thousand Year Blood War Arc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-29
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2019-07-04 09:03:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15838077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinequanon/pseuds/sinequanon
Summary: Everyone knows that Ichigo would do anything for his sisters—even if it meant exposing their greatest secret.





	more care to stay

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you once again to UraIchi Week for unintentionally helping me out here. The prompt I used here was: Creature Ichigo or Urahara.
> 
> Two things to remember here: one, canon events have basically occurred, except that the twins are teenagers by the start of this story and the Quincy War is just beginning; two, Ichigo’s mother was not a Quincy.
> 
> A lot of Bleach stories mention how charismatic Ichigo is, despite his sometimes dour nature. That made me wonder, what if there was something else unseen, and generally unknown, that made Ichigo more compelling than he should be?

I have more care to stay, than will to go. —William Shakespeare’s _Romeo and Juliet_

<> <> <> <>

Kurosaki Ichigo wasn’t the type of person to hold onto grudges and regrets, but he sometimes wished that Soul Society needed him less than they did. He didn’t like missing work, he hated leaving his sisters, and as much as he liked his Shinigami friends, he loved being human.

So did his sisters, which made their request all the more unexpected.

“Are you sure?” he asked, again, even though he could tell by the set of Karin’s jaw and the glint in Yuzu’s eyes that they were serious. As had the fact that they’d sat him down over tea for this conversation. “Mom would--”

“Mom wanted us to be able to make our own choices,” Yuzu confirmed as she reached across the table to squeeze her brother’s hand, “and this is something we want, as long as you want it, too. We know that it's a bit earlier than we’d hoped--”

“Or a lot,” Karin grumbled, because as much as she liked Rukia, she was still a little bitter toward the Shinigami in general for getting her brother into this mess.

“--but we're also tired of watching you get hurt,” Yuzu finished.

Karin nodded. “And this would be the easiest way to stop it.”

Ichigo's first instinct was to tell them no, to say that this was too soon and too much responsibility for any of them, but he made himself think about their suggestion. On one hand, it _would_ be nice to end the fighting without casualties; on the other, claiming his birthright would change things for all of them, including his sisters. “What about growing up and getting married and all of that?”

The twins exchanged glances, and Karin shrugged as she refilled her tea. “It could still happen, you know. We're still growing, and life isn't going to stop for us just because you claim the Shinigami.” Then she smirked. “Besides, it will be a good chance to get to know Urahara-san better. We’ve seen how you two watch each other when you think no one is looking.”

Both girls burst into giggles when their brother flushed scarlet and started sputtering.  _“What_? I don't--”

“Just think about it,” they asked him, once he’d exhausted himself and slumped in his chair, and left it at that.

<> <>

The fighting had started by the time Ichigo reached Seireitei, but that was all right. He stood on top of Sokyoku Hill and let his senses stretch out, out until he found everyone he was looking for. Rukia. Renji. The Visored. Kisuke.

The part of him that was always ready to defend and protect his friends longed to go to them first, to reach out and pull them to him, but he held himself back. He needed to do this carefully, methodically, and he couldn’t do that by running wild from one end of Soul Society to the other. His friends were powerful enough to defend themselves until Ichigo reached them.

He took a deep breath and let himself settle into a power he hadn’t touched since his mother died. He could feel it bloom in his chest, spreading up and out like the sun breaking through the clouds until even the tips of his fingers tingled. It felt...right. He loved being human, but he’d missed this.

After a few more moments of basking, he shook himself. There was work to be done. He started walking.

It was chance that Ichigo came across Kira first, fighting some guy with a bad attitude and and mohawk. The power pushed out, and over them, and it was like watching Yuzu’s music box wind down, the way the fighting slowed, slowed and _stopped_.

For a moment, everything was still, and then both Kira and the quincy dazedly turned to where he was waiting a few feet away.

“Ichigo?”

“Don’t worry, Kira,” he reached out to clasp the blonde’s shoulder, “I’ll take care of everything.” He lightly brushed his fingers against the Quincy’s arm, and was rewarded with a shudder. “Why don’t the two of you rest for awhile?”

“Okay,” they echoed at him, and Ichigo smiled.

<> <>

It was easy to let his power stretch out before him, to wrap all of Soul Society in its warmth and soothe all other cares away. More than one bankai was saved because the Quincy were uninterested in taking them and countless injuries avoided because the fighting never began. Instead, Ichigo wandered through the streets of Seireitei, claiming friend and foe alike, his presence promising safety for all who accepted him.

By the time he reached Urahara, word had spread that all who laid eyes on Ichigo were putting down their weapons and...waiting, though for what, no one was certain. The only thing that everyone seemed to agree on was that there was something _different_ about the naturally charismatic substitute, something that made even the enemy Quincy defer to him without question.

He found the scientist waiting not far from the twelfth division, stance easy and eyes alight with curiosity. If his sisters were right, and Kisuke was willing to accept this other part of him, Ichigo would take great pleasure in giving the other man the means and opportunity to learn his secrets.

“I think you’ve outdone yourself this time, Ichigo-san,” he said, gaze heavy on the young man before him, “though may I say, you’re looking particularly radiant this afternoon?”

Ichigo fought back a snort. _Radiant, indeed._ His sisters would like that.

They stared at each other. Ichigo thought of all the fighting that hadn’t happened—that wouldn’t happen, now—and all of the sacrifices that would have to be made.

The way Kisuke was watching him, though...maybe he could have this.

(He was certain his mother would say that the sacrifice was worth it.)

Ichigo reached toward Kisuke with a smile.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally, I was going to make Ichigo and his sisters a particular kind of creature, but I went through all of the usual suspects and eventually decided that nothing quite worked the way I wanted it to. I think that maybe whatever the Kurosaki kids are, it’s old enough to not have a name.
> 
> I have no idea when I’ll be posting next, but it probably won’t be for a few months. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
